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17.03.2016

European Alliance for Apprenticeship: the way forward

The European Alliance for Apprenticeship (Eafa) is a platform to improve the quality and supply of apprenticeships across the EU and to change mind-sets towards apprenticeship-type learning. Apprenticeship has a very high value for construction SMEs, especially to face the European demographic challenge and the skills mismatch.

For this reason, EBC joins the UEAPME position on the fact that the work of the Alliance in 2016 should be more focused on SMEs. The Alliance should help companies, notably micro and small-companies that make up 96.9% of the construction industry, overcome existing obstacles that prevent them from engaging in apprenticeship.

To this end, EBC supports three UEAPME proposals:

deepening business-education partnerships with a clear role for social partners;

Drop’pin platform

In a recent meeting DG Employment informed the Alliance members of the latest developments, among which we would like to highlight those related to Drop’pin.

Drop’pin is a new project led by the European Commission that aims to help young people boost their employability and skills by connecting them with a range of opportunities across Europe. Drop’pin is not a job matching site. It is a website where people can find apprenticeships, traineeships, training programmes, e-learning courses, language training, mentoring and coaching schemes, as well as various social services (e.g. help with housing).

The opportunities on Drop’pin are from across the EU and now also in many sectors. Construction & Architecture as well as Craftwork & Artisans are two of the most interesting ones for us. EBC encourages its members and their companies to have a look at it and contribute with their opportunities.